


Finding You

by TheRedLotusFlower88



Category: Persona 5
Genre: !Cocky Akira, Akira gets a fan club, Akira is a shameless flirt, Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, FeelsGoodMan, Futaba is the best sister figure ever, I am now ProRyuji trash thanks guys, I have no idea what this story is about, I haven't even played p5 yet, I'll stop tagging now, M/M, No Metaverse (Persona 5), No Personas until later, Phantom Thieves doesn't exist, Ryuji is confused, Ryuji likes it thou, Ryuji's Dad isn't an asshole, Secret Crush, everyone is okay, for now anyway, let ryuji say fuck, sorry - Freeform, this came to me in a dream
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2018-12-09 10:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11666844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRedLotusFlower88/pseuds/TheRedLotusFlower88
Summary: Ryuji knew something wasn't right when he noticed people were looking at him in concern. He heard the students of Shujin Academy whisper around him, talking among themselves, as they stared at the blond as if they've never seen him before. He'd asked what happened to Kamoshida, the students just looked at him as if he'd grown another head."Who?" They'd asked, and a sinking feeling dipped down into the pit of the boy's stomach.Something was wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

He woke up feeling strange.

There was a tingle going through his body, as if shocked, but not quite. This feeling wasn't the same as when he called Captain Kidd in battle - it was more light, airy, and kind of ticklish if Ryuji had to admit (least, to himself. He'll never tell anyone that he's ticklish). Maybe this should've been the first clue that something wasn't right. He never felt like that before, but considering how late he'd woke up, nobody could blame him.

"Crap! I'm late!" He muttered, nearly falling off the bed, as he rushed towards the bathroom. He'd spent a good five minutes inside it, washing up, and then extra when he realized his roots are beginning to show, so he had to re-dye it. "Of all the freakin' days...." He muttered, closing his eyes so bleach wouldn't get into them. Then, he was rushing back into his room for his typical uniform when his mother came in and frowned.

"Ryuji," She said. "Why aren't you wearing the school's uniform?"

"Huh?" Ryuji blinked, arms stuck in the air while his head was barely in the yellow graphic shirt. His mother tisked.

"And you just bleached your hair. It's going to get ruined if you don't let it dry." She said, coming in and taking off the shirt. "You said this was your favorite shirt, right? You don't want anything to happen to it do you? Now, go on and put on your _proper_ uniform."

"What do you mean? I always wear that." Ryuji said, reaching for the shirt again, when his mother held it back.

"Well, yes, but usually _outside_ of school. Not during. Hurry up and get dressed. Your father wants to talk to you about something." She said, but before Ryuji could protest, or even asked, she was already leaving with the shirt in hand. The blond scratched his head.

"What the eff? My father? What is she talking about? We haven't seen him since..." Ryuji shook his head, and open his drawer for another shirt. Upon realizing that most of his shirts were white, button-ups, he frowned. _Did she go shopping for me? But, we don't have that kind of money..._ Another weird vibe went up his spine, but once again, Ryuji chose to ignore it. Once dressed, he went downstairs to grab something to eat, only to pause, brown eyes wide as his heart also came to a stop.

Turning his head, the familiar older man sitting at the table smiled.

"Good morning Ryuji-kun."

"What the hell are YOU doing here?!" Ryuji shouted, glaring at the man he hated. Not as much as Kamoshida, but all of the same. Startled, the man - his _father_ \- blinked and then gave Ryuji a scolding.

"Ryuji-kun, you know we don't tolerate that kind of language in this house."

"Says the bastard that uses it daily!"

"Ryuji!" Ryuji flinched, and slowly turned to see his mother staring at him with wide, brown eyes, both in shock and in dismay. Seeing the disappointed look, an all-too familiar feelings crawled up Ryuji's stomach, and he had to swallow the large lump that had formed out of nowhere in his throat.

"Sorry," He muttered, before glaring at the man before him. "But seriously. Why _are_ you here? Last I heard, you wanted nothing to do with 'your disappointment of a son'."

His father frowned.

"I've never said that." He said, and just when Ryuji was about to scream, his mother placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Honey, are you alright? You know your father loves you very much. He would never say those things." She said, the frown on her face deepening. Ryuji wanted to scream because, _yes_ he has, and _yes_ he has said it right in front of him. Also, _no,_ he didn't love Ryuji nor his mother. That's why he'd _left._

But the words never came.

Still staring at his mother, Ryuji slowly nodded.

"Yeah, I'm...I must've had a dream." He didn't. He knew his father was never there, shouldn't be there. Yet there he was, in the kitchen, looking as though he _hadn't_ abused his own son in anyway.

"What a terrible dream. Your father isn't a monster," _Yes he is. He's just pretending for the moment._ "If you're not feeling well, maybe you should stay home? I know today's your first day in Shujin and all, but I think the school will understand."

"No, I'm fine. I'll go." Ryuji said, shaking his head and gave his mother a smile. His mother still looked concern though, but she nodded anyway.

"Alright. Call me or your father," _Stop saying that word. He isn't my father._ "If anything happens. And...try to make friends, okay? I know people are scary, but you should at least have one person who you can call a friend." _I do, his name is Akira. Wait-_

"What?" Ryuji's head snapped up, finally realizing what his mother was saying.

"Go on, shoo! You're late enough as it is!"

"I can probably drive him. Shujin Academy is just out of my way, isn't it?" The man asked, and while the two continued to talk, Ryuji was still lost in his head.

 _What?_  


	2. Chapter 2

In the end, his father decided to drop him off on his way to work. To say Ryuji was less than happy about it was an understatement, but the bleached blond decided to hold his anger in until they were safely away from his mother.

"Have a nice day, Ryuji-kun!" His father said with a smile on his face. Ryuji didn't turn to face him.

"Just what is your end goal here?" He asked.

"Eh?"

Ryuji curled his fingers into a fist, his fingernails digging into the palm of his hand. He could feel a rush of anger flowing through him, the very same type of anger that caused him to lash out and punch Kamoshida in the face, costing him and his track team the championship. Surprising enough, he couldn't feel the electricity that normally came with summoning his persona, but then he remembered in the real world, he couldn't do that.

"Why are you back?" He spat out. "Why are you acting so nice, as if we actually mean something to you?"

"Ryuji-kun..."

"And stop with the 'kun' shit! You don't deserve to call me that! Not after everything you've done, everything you've said," Ryuji growled out, his eyes burning. But he refused to cry, not anymore. When his dad left, when Kamoshida ruined most of Shujin Academy student's life, when his teammates, his so-called 'friends' left and blamed him for blowing their chance, Ryuji ran out of tears by then. Most of it hurt, and to this very day, those incidents left a scar on his heart that he didn't think he can be truly healed (until he'd met Akira, of course, and the Phantom Thieves were made known), but he was done crying. He was done hurting. "You said you wouldn't come back. You said you hated us, and left us alone. Why are you back?"

Suddenly, a heavy hand was placed on his shoulder, and Ryuji looked up into the same, dark, brown eyes that reminded Ryuji of his own.

"Ryuji," His father breathed, squeezing his shoulder. The delinquent could've sworn the man was blinking back tears, and he could see the sting of his words really affecting him, which made him uncomfortable. "Ryuji, I had _never_ left. I was always with you and your mother. And I love both of you very much, see?" The man pulled back and began searching his pockets. When he found what he was looking for, he showed Ryuji the pictures in his wallet; pictures of the day he was born, of him walking, of him hugging the man he called a father. Eyes wide, Ryuji turned to him. "You two are my world. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, you know that. Where is all of this coming from?"

"G-Gomen, I...I.." Ryuji was at a loss. He had never seen those pictures before.

"Is it the dream you had? Is that what's causing you to act so coldly towards me? Ryu-kun, that wasn't real. I would never leave you." The man said, pulling the boy into a hug. Ryuji stiffened, remembering all the times he'd allowed himself to be hugged, only to be beaten in the end. He wanted to struggle, to get away, and inform this imposter that he was never, nor will he ever, be his father, but the blond couldn't bring himself to be angry. He wanted to, he'd tried so hard, but he was exhausted and returned the hug. "I love you, Ryu-kun. Never forget that."

"Gomenasai....Otōsan." Those words felt heavy, as if Ryuji had just swallowed a bunch of lead and left a bitter taste in his mouth. Squeezing him one more time, the man let him go with a smile on his face.

"Now, you're running really late. I'd suggest getting a move on." He reached up and ruffled Ryuji's hair, causing the boy to fuss and open the door to the car, where his school awaits. "Have fun, and remember: try to make friends!" With that, he drove off, even before Ryuji got the chance to say goodbye.

Still...that interaction stirred something in Ryuji, a mixture of good and bad, but the blonde decided to ignore it and head to class. As he walked, he'd noticed some of the students looking at him, whispering, and he felt his eyebrows furrowed. Normally, Ryuji wouldn't care about the whispers or the stares, but there was something about them that made Ryuji take a step back. He kept his head down, but made sure to to keep eye contact with someone as he walked passed.

Aaaaand there it is.

The looks he's getting isn't the normal, disgusting, looks nor were they the looks of scorn and shame. No, these looks were familiar in a way that usually isn't associated with  _him,_ but with Akira.

_Looks as if they've just discovered someone new is coming to the school._

When the thought passed through, Ryuji frowned even more. He remembers the conversation he had with his parents, remembering what his mother said.

 _ **"I know today's your first day in Shujin and all, but I think the school will understand."**_ She had said, and Ryuji was even more confused then before. _It is NOT my first day in Shujin. I've been coming to this school for like, three years! What the hell?!_ He thought when suddenly-

"Excuse me!"

BAM!

Both Ryuji and the person he'd ran into were on the ground, papers flying everywhere. The students surrounding them stood and watch, more accurately, watched Ryuji. Groaning, Ryuji lifted his head up and glared at the person that bump into him.

"What the hell, man?! Watch where you're goin'!"

"A-Ah, Gomen, but I was really in a rush!" Stuttered the blue-haired student. Finally getting a good look, Ryuji paused, blinking.

"Wait, Mishima? Are you okay?" He asked. The boy, Mishima, looked at him, both wary and curious.

"G-Gomen, b-but...do I know you?" He asked, and Ryuji nearly choked on his spit.

"W-wha? Dude, it's me! Ryuji!" The blond shouted, drawing more attention to them than he'd liked. Seeing this, Mishima seemed to have shrink into himself, a light pink blush coming across his face.

"I'm really sorry, b-but...I don't know anybody named Ryuji. Are you the new student here in Shujin Academy?" He asked, staring at Ryuji with wide eyes that made the blond wince. He'd forgotten how much of a fanboy Mishima could be, especially with the Phantom Thieves.

"Dude, you were the moderator of our website. After everything that went down with Kamoshida-"

"I'm sorry, but who? On both parts." Mishima asked.

"The Phantom Thieves, remember?! Is something wrong? Is someone bullying you again?" Ryuji asked, getting angry at the thought of one of his friends getting into trouble. Mishima looked surprise, and if Ryuji wasn't paying attention, he wouldn't have known where, exactly, the color in Mishima's face started to drain.

"I don't know anything about some 'Phantom Thieves'. They sound kind of dangerous. A-and how do you know I'm being bullied?" Suddenly, Mishima shook his head. "G-Gomen, I don't have time for this. I'm really in a hurry, or else I'll risk detention again. A-ano, it was nice to meet you! Um, whoever you are!" With that, Mishima picked up the last piece of paper and rushed off, with Ryuji shouting after him-

"It's Ryuji!" When Mishima disappeared around the corner, Ryuji could hear the people talking, and suddenly, dread was pooling inside his stomach.

 _Mishima doesn't remember me?_      


	3. Chapter 3

He was fifteen minutes late. Granted, Ryuji has been _far_ later in the past, but still; late was late in Shujin Academy, and knowing his homeroom teacher, he'll probably have to serve detention because of it. The blond couldn't help but groan at the mere thought. _Can't get rid of that stupid reputation if I keep pulling stunts like this._ Ryuji open the door, and with a bright smile, said:

"Yo! Sorry for the lateness, I didn't get enough sleep last night." He chuckled, only to stop when he realized both his class and his homeroom teacher was looking at him weirdly.

"I'm sorry, but I was unaware I had a new student in class. What's your name, Mister...?" The teacher asked, and Ryuji looked startled.

"Wha? Mr. Hirohito, it's me! Sakamoto Ryuji! I've been in your class since the first grade!" He said, causing the students to mutter to themselves while his teacher merely raised an eyebrow.

"I'd like to think I would remember someone such as yourself, Sakamoto-san," Mr. Hirohito said, fixing his glasses. "But, I can check to see if I'd missed anything. Otherwise, you might want to head down to the main office. I'm sure your schedule is there." With that, the teacher began to notify the school, while Ryuji stood there, a small, ugly feeling of uneasiness growing in the bottom of his stomach. He could feel his throat tighten, aware of the stares he was getting, and he clenched his fits. _First my father shows up outta nowhere, then Mishima pretends not to know me, and now THIS! What the eff is goin' on here?!_ He thought to himself, just as the teacher spoke. "Sakamoto-san, I'm afraid I don't have you in my class. Apparently your homeroom teacher is Sadayo Kawakami."

"Eh?!" Ryuji blinked. _No way...isn't that the class Akira and Ann share? Did I move to another class or something? Just what is going on here?_ "You'll have to forgive me, b-but I think there's been some sort of mistake..."

"If there's a problem, you can always talk to Principle Kobayakawa about transferring to another class. Although, I would wait until after school? You're late enough as it is." Mr. Hirohito said. Feeling embarrassed, as well as scorned, Ryuji nodded and slowly, painfully, walked out the door with his head to the ground.

Nothing was making sense. Had he been moved to another class without realizing it? And Principle Kobayakawa...wasn't he? Isn't he...?

A sudden determination came over him, and Ryuji began heading towards the principle's office, regardless of what his former teacher had said.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but Principle Kobayakawa isn't in right now." Said the lady at the desk.

"But...he's....alive, right? Like, living, breathing, and moving, right?" Ryuji asked, causing the lady to blink and look at him with curious, if not wary, eyes.

"Yes...? I don't know why he wouldn't be. Last time I check, Mr. Kobayakawa was in perfectly good health." If the situation wasn't so dire right now, Ryuji would've laughed his head off at the idea of Kobayakawa being in 'good' health.

"Right," He sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Guess I should be going to class now." With that, Ryuji turned around and began walking out of the main office, just barely passing off as suspicious when he'd found a corner to hide in, and began to wait. Several minutes later, and the lady had walked out, apparently wanting a smoke, and just as she'd left, Ryuji went back into the office, going pass the desk, and headed towards the principle office. Testing the door, he hissed. "Locked." Looking around, Ryuji spotted a small paperclip and began unbending it. "I knew watching Akira pick locks would come in handy," He muttered, getting low onto the ground and began toying with the handle. Minutes ticked by, and Ryuji was just about to get angry when a soft 'click' was heard. "Alright!" He shouted before clamping his mouth shut. _Now's not the time Ryuji. Apparently, nobody here knows about your delinquency, or that you're a thief. Let's keep it that way._

Somehow, the voice in his head sounded a lot like Makoto.

Door now open, Ryuji slowly pushed the door, making sure it didn't creak as much as it needs to. Tiptoeing inside (a habit he got into after sneaking around so much in the Metaverse, as well as the Palaces), Ryuji looked around.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and seeing a cup of what Ryuji thought was coffee, it was safe to assume that the lady in the office was correct. Kobayakawa was indeed alive and well, which only brought more confusion to Ryuji. _He was suppose to be dead after that mental shutdown. What the eff?_ Shaking his head, Ryuji went to the cabin that held most, if not all, the folders of each and every student in Shujin Academy.

"Now, let's see if I can find the answers I'm looking for..."

"What on Earth are you doing?" Startled, Ryuji looked up into the red eyes of a certain brown haired, honor roll teen. "How did you even get in here? Mrs. Uzumaki said the door was locked," Before he could explain, Makoto had already figured it out. "Wait...don't tell me _you_ lock picked the door? Just who are you? What do you want?"

"If you would let me explain," Ryuji mumbled, before clearing his throat when Makoto glared at him. "Hey! The name's Sakamoto Ryuji! I came here because apparently, there's been a mistake with my classes..."

"So you decided to take the matters to your own hands by breaking into the principle's office," She said, crossing her arms as she gave the blond a disapproving look. "Baka. If you had just waited, I would've helped you."

"You would? I mean, of course you would. You're Niijima Makoto. A very good, A-plus student." Ryuji said.

"Excuse me? What's that suppose to mean? And for that matter, how did you even know my full name if you're suppose to be new?" Makoto asked, red eyes narrowing even further. Quickly sensing danger, Ryuji tried to explain.

"Look, you may not believe me, but I know you. You and I are friends, and we....it's kind of complicated, really," Ryuji said, before narrowing his eyes. "And me breaking into the office plays a huge part of it. I don't really understand anything myself, but...things around here were, are, different."

"Uh-huh," Makoto didn't look convinced. "In any case, I'm suppose to be helping you get to your class. Come on, let's see if I can do anything about the transfer."

"Wait, can you just, at least, tell me why I'm in Mrs. Kawakami's class? Last I checked, I didn't have good grades to be in there."

"Agreed. You don't look very smart," Ignoring the insulted look thrown her way, Makoto sighed. "But, seeing how you broke into the principle's office, I guess looks are kind of deceiving. And to answer your question, I'm assuming your grades from your last school came into play. If you did well there, there's a chance that they might've let you skip."

"I see..." Ryuji said, frowning. Makoto stared at him, frowning slightly. A part of her wanted to reach out to him, to ask if he's okay, but she refrained. After all, she didn't know him, and despite his claims, he didn't know her. "Well, I guess I should be going now."

"W-wait, where do you think you're going?" Makoto asked, blinking.

"Eh. To class, where else?" Ryuji shrugged his shoulders. Makoto looked furious, and having red eyes certainly does not help with the image.

"I _thought_ you wanted to switch classes..." She growled. Ryuji shrugged his shoulders again, walking away.

"Something tells me I have something bigger to fry than some dumb classes." Was the last thing he'd said. Makoto watched as the blond new student disappeared from her view, before shaking her head.

"That boy," She muttered before frowning. "Still...there's something familiar about him."

She couldn't help but think about his words, and wonder just how true they are.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am lead to believe that, with the exception of certain people, Ryuji (just different teachers), Akira, Ann, and possibly Makoto are in the same grade. If I'm wrong, please tell me so I can fix the problem. It'll be nice of you if you did ^^
> 
> Also, I don't know how the Japanese school system works .-. So forgive me if I got something wrong! I don't mean to offend!


	4. Chapter 4

In spite of everything else, Ryuji did not, in fact, go to class. He knew he would be reprimand by his mother when she finds out, but at the moment, the teen didn't care. He needed to clear his head, try to organize himself and his thoughts, and in the words of Morgana, use his brain for once. Something was definitely wrong if Makoto can't remember him, and on top of that, being placed in Mrs. Kawakami's class?

"Okay, calm down, Ryuji. Let's take a step back," He muttered to himself now that he was on top of the school building. "Okay, first off, there's your dad. You don't know what his deal is, and even though a part of you doesn't want to know, you're going to have to," He closed his eyes and folded his arms. "Then, the incident with Mishima. Possible chance him not remembering you could be a prank, but...is Mishima really the pranking type? He doesn't look like it." A scowl started to form on his face. "And Makoto...does she really not remember me? After all we've been through? Or is she in on the prank?"

"Oh, are you and Makoto-san dating?" A voice said, startling Ryuji from his conversation. Turning his head to the left, he spotted a familiar face, at least, to him. "It's strange. Makoto-san has never mentioned you if you are her boyfriend."

"Haru!" Ryuji cheered, before realizing what she was saying. "W-What? No! We aren't like that!"

"Oh? Then how do you know about Makoto-san? Did you two meet outside of school?" Haru asked, peering at Ryuji with curious eyes and a sweet smile on her face. Never mind the fact that she completely ignored Ryuji mentioning her first name.

"It's...it's complicated. In fact, I know her the same way I know you, really." Ryuji said, deflating. He suddenly felt tired, as if explaining the whole situation was suddenly a chore, and all Ryuji wanted to do is sleep. To her credit, Haru only tilted her head.

"You know me?" She repeated.

"Of course I do, you're my friend." He said, scratching the back of his head. "Although, being the daughter of the world's biggest food chain restaurant owner is credit too, but more importantly, you're are my friend. We've met before."

"Really?" Haru blinked. "I don't know anybody with blond hair except Ann, but I feel like you're telling the truth. How peculiar." She hummed. "If we had met, why don't I remember you?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. Last I recall, your father was trying to sell you out through marriage of a guy you didn't want." Ryuji said. Haru's eyebrow furrowed, her lips tightening into a thin line.

"That...doesn't sound like my father." She said, startling Ryuji.

"Huh?"

"My father loves me very much, and he'll never go through with such a thing, especially when I'm his only child." Haru stated, and Ryuji couldn't help but flinch at the unwavering anger in her eyes, though, he could tell she wasn't upset _at_ him, just his choosing of words. _Like so many times._ He thought to himself.

"I know it sounds ridiculous, trust me, but...I guess, in another world, we didn't our happy endings. Or at least, we weren't very happy with our situation with the adults in our lives." It was so, so, _so_ frustrating not being able to talk about what really happened between them. It reminded Ryuji the first time he and Akira had went into a Palace, Kamoshida's, and stepped back out, confused, disoriented, and having _nobody_ believe them. Just as he was feeling hopeless back then, he was starting to feel it now, and worst part it wasn't the fact that it was coming from some adult - it was coming from the _very people Ryuji made friends with._

"That sounds awful. Are you sure you weren't dreaming?" Haru asked, now looking at Ryuji with sympathy in her eyes. Usually, seeing those type of looks would've made him angry, but not right now, and especially not at Haru. Instead, Ryuji sunk low to the ground, head down. Now he wasn't sure anymore.

Was it a dream? No. Because Haru had said she felt like he was telling the truth, and maybe he was desperate, but he was holding onto that with every fiber of his being. He wasn't crazy. He didn't make this up. He had friends, and the manifestation of Personas is _real._ They had saved the world. They had manage to change the hearts of every bad guy and got them to confess their crimes. No, it wasn't a dream.

 _But what if it was?_ A voice crackled inside his head. _What if you had never met Akira and the others? What if the evil adults you were facing weren't actually evil? Or better yet, what if they never existed? And what about Captain Kidd? Was he just a figure of your imagination too? Was he a representation of an idol you always wanted to be? Did he even exist?_

Ryuji shook his head.

"I don't know," He muttered. "But you said you believe me. So that has to count for something."

"I believe that we are friends," Haru started. "As for everything else....I don't know either."

Silence fell between them. For a moment, neither of the two said anything, only listening to the busy streets of Tokyo as well as birds chirping. Haru sighed.

"Well, I guess I should get going. By the way, I never did catch your name." She said.

"It's Ryuji. Sakamoto Ryuji." He said, closing his eyes.

"Oh, the new trans student? You've been talked about for weeks, as Shujin Academy doesn't get new students often. Which is surprising, considering how well the students here are." Haru said, placing a finger just below her chin in thought. Ryuji scoffed.

"Not surprising to me, although saying the students are 'well' is definitely an understatement." He muttered.

"Hmm. Well, maybe in another world they wouldn't be, but here, everyone is kind and friendly towards each other. Though, it'll be different for you, seeing how you have yet to introduce yourself to your classmates." Haru giggled just as Ryuji blushed. "Be careful, okay? You don't want to get stuck with a reputation you don't deserve. As far as I can tell, you're a really nice guy, Sakamoto-san."

"Please call me Ryuji. It's weird to hear one of my closest friends call me Sakamoto, and then add a suffix that really shouldn't be there." Ryuji said, though he had a feeling he'll have to get use to it. Haru blinked, surprised, but smiled.

"Sure thing, Ryuji-kun." She said, making Ryuji look up, shocked. She giggled. "You said we are friends. That's as far as I would go for the suffix."

"Thanks, Haru."

"Now we really should be going. You already missed first period, I bet. I'm afraid what will happen to you if you keep missing classes." She said. Ryuji smiled, getting up from his behind and walked down the steps just as the bell began to ring with her by his side. "I'll see you later Ryuji-kun." She said before moving towards her next class. Ryuji watched her go, knowing people are staring at him and Haru, but honestly didn't care. Knowing Haru's sweet personality and not judging him for his words, Ryuji could feel his chest tighten with warm and love for the girl (friendly love, of course). Though, in the next second, Ryuji realized he didn't know his new schedule at all.

"Aww, crap." He muttered, and was about to head to the office - _again, really Ryuji_ \- when a voice of a female stopped him.

"Akira-senpai!"

Ryuji froze in his steps. _No effin' way._ He thought and slowly, ever so slowly, turned around. Instantly spotting the familiar mop of black curls, white turtleneck, but was surprise by the lack of glasses, Ryuji felt as though time had stopped. Standing no more than two feet away from him, chatting up with a couple of girls that were younger than him, and yet the air around him still maintain mysterious and aloof, was Kurusu Akira; his best friend, the guy who's been through it all with him, who stood up for him when nobody else would. Who encouraged Ryuji whenever he needed it, and the only guy Ryuji has ever had a crush on.

Coming straight out of a cliché romantic anime movie, Akira had only turned his head slightly, grey eyes now on him, and raised an eyebrow. And despite looking the same as before, there was something completely different about THIS Akira that had Ryuji's heart beating even faster, a blush on his face. Realizing he was blushing, Ryuji quickly turned around only to slam head first into someone's open locker. Giggles ring in his ear, and just when he thought this day couldn't get any worse, of course Akira picked this time to knowledge his presence.

"You alright?" He asked, looking down at the fallen boy, hand out. Looking up, Ryuji could feel his heart swell. He looks exactly the same as before. _Damn him, and his pretty lashes._ He could feel the tip of his ears burning. "Hello?"

"Fine! Fine, I'm totally fine!" Ryuji stuttered out, getting up from the floor and brushing off any dirt. Looking at him up and down, Akira's lips curled upwards.

"I agree. You _are_ fine." He stated. For a moment, the words didn't register until _after_ a minute has passed, and when it did, Ryuji paused, jaw-dropped, blushing.

"D-Dude," He stuttered, but Akira merely winked, a smile on his face more wicked - more _Joker-like_ \- before the curly haired teen went about his way, leaving Ryuji shell-shocked in the middle of the hallway.

This cannot be happening. This cannot be happening. There was no way Akira - best-friend Akira, who was _unfairly attractive,_ by the way - was hitting on Ryuji. No way.

His heart wouldn't be able to take it.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was not how this chapter was suppose to go. I wanted an Angry Sugar Puff Haru after Ryuji ran his mouth off about her father. Oh well. At least Akira makes his appearance, if only a little. And yes, guys I know they are the in same year, buuuuut not in this story. I just wanted confirmation on them whenever I decide to make another Persona story. Also, to anyone who's a veteran of Ao3, does anyone know how to stop notes from duplicating into the next chapter? I've noticed that with my chapter stories, and I'm not quite sure why it does that or how to stop it. Please and thanks! <3


	5. Chapter 5

By the time Ryuji did go to his classes, he had already built up a reputation for himself. Which, honestly, wasn't even that bad considering he had worst; being known as The Boy Who Skipped First Class And Became Easily Star struck By A Student In Another Grade was way better than The Boy Who Had Anger Issues And Struck Out A Teacher Because Of It, Deserved or Not. It's also a very long title, but what can you do? Ryuji wasn't THAT creative.

Still, the blond thinks he could live without making a total fool out of himself, which seems to be very hard to do, both in this world and the world he has known before. He didn't like to think his habits were going to ruin him someday, but given the expression of the teacher of his third period, it already has.

And yeah, his mom was totally going to scowl at him for it.

Currently, it was lunchtime, and as Ryuji looked around, he absently noted just how crowded the cafeteria was. _God, it's like my first day in high school all over again._ He thought, realizing he didn't have a seat, and if he could find one, it'll probably be in some dark corner, away from the crowd, just like a stereotypical first day of school for a new student. Though, to be fair, maybe that's what Ryuji needed so he could find his way out of this mess; this world. After talking with Haru, Ryuji felt a bit calmer - just enough so he couldn't go making any rash decisions. If, for whatever reason, this WAS a prank played by his friends, he didn't find it very funny nor was it amusing, and he'll tell them so. And ESPECIALLY Akira, whenever he finds him again.

 _Akira._ His heart clenched painfully at the thought. His mind couldn't stop thinking about the incident in the hallway, when Akira had openly flirted with him, and the smile on his face - _so familiar, so Joker-like -_ and every time, Ryuji felt like a little school girl who's been told her crush actually likes her. This was bad, and when he spotted the curly haired boy again, he was going to give him a piece of his mind.

_Or kiss him. That works too._

Eff off, dangerous, provoking thought. No one wants you here.

Shaking his head, Ryuji went to get his lunch and when he came out, a voice spoke to him.

"Ryuji-kun! Over here!" Blinking, Ryuji turned to see Haru standing and waving near a table with so many familiar faces, Ryuji felt his heart burst.

There was Ann, who gave him a suspicious glance over, blue eyes narrowed in mistrust - _Oh god,_ Ryuji thought with a shiver. _It's going to be hell tryin' to win her over if this isn't some clever prank._ -, Makoto who merely looked at him, curious and also suspicious, Mishima who looked worriedly at him, a certain black haired girl named Suzui Shiho, to Ryuji's surprise, and of course, the Fool himself, Akira, who staring directly at Ryuji, perfect poker face in tact, yet his eyes says so much more. _Like, you're my newest victim of my dangerously good looks more._ A shiver went down Ryuji spine.

Slowly, he began walking towards the group, giving them a small wave and a weak smile.

"H-hey...."

"I'm sure you already know who Makoto-san is, but I would like to introduce you to rest of my friends. Well," Haru paused, looking at the ceiling with curious brown eyes. "If you say you are my friend, and you are Makoto-san's friend, then that means you know everyone here, right?"

"More or less..." Ryuji mumbled, blushing when Akira raised an eyebrow while Ann continued to give him a death glare.

"Still, it would be proper to introduce ourselves, even if you do know them. Everyone, this is Sakamoto Ryuji, the newest student here in Shuji Academy. Ryuji-kun, the girl in the pink shirt is Niijima Makoto," Makoto nodded her head towards him. "The blue haired boy is Mishima Yuuki," Mishima waved at him, a crooked smile on his face. He probably still remembers Ryuji calling him out on his bullying problem, which Ryuji just knows he's going to have to fix at some point. "The blonde I had talked to you about is Takamaki Ann," Ann gave a huff, folding her arms, and turning her head away. "Next to her is her best friend, Suzui Shiho," Shiho smiled at him. _At least someone is happy to see me._ Ryuji thought. "And here's our ring leader, Kurusu Akira."

"A pleasure to meet you," Akira said, a slow, easy smile coming across his face, eyes half-lidded. The look pretty much made Ryuji choke on his spit, face growing hot. "I'm serious. It _is_ a pleasure."

"Akira!" Ann scolded, even when Makoto sighed and Haru giggled. Ryuji, though, looked as though he's about to faint on his feet.

"Don't mind him, he thinks he's a charmer, even when he isn't." Shiho said, smiling at Ryuji.

"Shiho-san, you wound me. I only charm people that I like," Akira looked over at Ryuji, the smile once again, becoming something only Akira could pull off as the Joker. "And I happen to like what I see. Very much."

"Akira, stop hitting on the new kid! We have bigger things to worry about," Ann said, glaring at her 'ring leader' before turning her glare back at Ryuji. "Like, how do you know our names? Who are you? What do you want from us?"

"Ann, I'm sure you're overreacting," Shiho said, giving her friend a frown. "Ryuji-san looks to be around our age. He couldn't possibly do any harm."

"He also looks a like delinquent," Ann spat out, causing Ryuji to flinch. "Judging by his hair."

"Ann, _you_ have blonde hair too. That doesn't make you a delinquent."

"Actually, in the Japanese culture, which I'm sure most of you are aware, dying one's hair blonde signifies defiance, rebellion, and a challenge to authority, mostly, of parent's. This can be seen as a disgrace, and often times isolate one self in a community. Such a shame, really, that people would allow hair color to define who they are." Haru said, giving Ryuji a smile of encouragement, which Ryuji blush to. _Damn it, why am I so easily flustered today?!_ He thought.

"Pretty much the black hair stereotype in America," Ann muttered, but continue to narrow her eyes at Ryuji. "Still, I don't trust you. Mishima, Makoto, and now Haru all says the same thing about you - that you claim to know us, knowing their names before they even told you. If that doesn't raise the suspicious bar, then I don't know what will."

To be fair, Ryuji doesn't blame Ann for acting the way she is. If Ryuji was in the same position as they, he would most likely be acting out just like her, and considering that he and Ann had been friends far longer than most of the people Ryuji know, her being this protective over her friends - and if she ESPECIALLY knew the truth about Shiho - is nothing new. He had a feeling that some of his traits were bound to rub off on her, and he was only thankful that it was his need to protect the things he'd cared for.

"I..I guess that's fair," Ryuji said, surprising them as he closed his eyes. "To you guys, I'm just the new kid around the block. I shouldn't know anyone, and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable when I called you by your first names. It was not my intent. Forgive me."

"Ryuji-kun, do you remember _where_ you saw us last? If you can remember the last place you've been, maybe there's a reason why we can't remember you, or why you're the only one who can remember us." Haru stated. Ryuji frowned as he thought back to his previous memory. He tried to think back to the last time he'd seen his friends, his  _real_ friends, but the more he tried, the harder it was. Static started to fill his ears, and he could feel a migraine coming on, a pounding so loud, Ryuji grunted as if he was in physical pain. Along with the static came a long beeping noise, and Ryuji scrunched up his brows. "Ryuji?"

"Don't strain yourself." Makoto said, a frown on her face and a worry look in her eyes. Though her words were clear, they sounded muffled to Ryuji and just when he felt as though his brain was about to explode, a hand fell on his shoulder. Suddenly, the static and the beeping noise was gone, and Ryuji open his eyes, staring directly into a pair of cool grey, worry and concern in them.

"If you don't remember, you shouldn't try to force yourself to." Akira said, voice low and soothing, almost like a blanket had been wrapped around Ryuji, and the blond delinquent shivered.

"Y-yeah, it's just...." Ryuji frowned. "I can't remember. The only thing I remember was going to bed, and waking up like this. Anything else before that...." He closed his eyes. Why can't he remember anything before going to bed? 

"Maybe you should stick with us," Akira said, ignoring the 'WHAT?!' that came from Ann. "Maybe, if we visit some places, it'll help jog your memory. Or our memory. Whichever comes first."

"You can't be serious," Ann started, giving her friend a glare. "Are you REALLY going to believe the words of a new student? Akira!"

"I agree," Haru hummed. "I don't think he's lying Ann. You feel it too, don't you? That air of familiarity? Makoto-san said something about it earlier."

"Yes, I did say that," Makoto said, her lips pressed together. "Still, are we sure he didn't just look up the information? Or came across something on the internet about us?"

"I wouldn't believe so," Shiho said, cocking her head to the side. "He only knows your names," _Actually, I know more than that._ "He could've gotten that information from another student. You know how much Shujin Academy students likes to talk."

"True enough," Makoto said. "And, it really doesn't feel like you're lying. And you have no ill-will towards us, even if you were hiding something. Ok. I'm in."

"Ugh, I can't believe this," Ann groaned before glaring at Ryuji. "You better not be wasting our time! If I find out this is all trick...."

"It's kind of funny, I was thinking the same thing about you guys," Ryuji chuckled, which stopped when Ann growled at him. Meanwhile, Akira had manage to slip his hand into Ryuji's, which startled the blond and made him look at him, heart caught in his throat when he found those grey eyes peering back at him.

"You already had my vote when you first walked into the door," He said. Then he smirked, devious and cunning. "Or should I say _the locker door?_ "

Ryuji was tied between wanting to punch Akira, or melt into the ground, even if his heart was singing at the moment.          


	6. Chapter 6

"Okaasan, I'm home." Ryuji groaned out as he walked through the door. Not surprisingly, his mother had ranted off about the phone call she'd received when Ryuji failed to show up during first period.

"An _hour and fifteen minutes,_ Ryuji," She said, a scowl on her face. "You didn't go to your first class. I was asked if you were coming or not, and maybe they thought you might've skipped school. Which I would  _not_ be pleased with."

"Gomenasai, it's just...I kind of...got lost," He said, a light blush coming across his face. It was only half-true; the other was him trying to figure out what the heck happened after running into so many people that he knew, that doesn't seem to remember him. "I was looking for the office."

"For an hour and fifteen minutes?" His mom gave him a look of disbelief. "I find that hard to believe, Ryuji-kun. Did something happen while trying to find your way?"

"Kind of? It wasn't bad, per say, but on top of not knowing my schedule, I was sidetracked by a lot of things." He said.

"Well, try not to be next time, okay? We can't have you getting lost and being late on your first day of school on your record. Your father would worry, and I...well, I wouldn't be very happy either." She said. Ryuji gave her a smile and nod, making sure to consider his mother's feelings on his behavior. "Now, I'm going to start dinner. Your father should be coming home soon, and I would rather he has a nice hot meal to come home to. If you're not too busy, would you like to help me?"

"Actually, I'm going to get started on my homework, if you don't mind." Ryuji said, already heading upstairs. His mother nodded.

"Okay. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. I know you're terrible in maths." She joked, making Ryuji pout.

"You didn't have to say it like that," He muttered, pouting even more when his mother giggled as she headed off to the kitchen. Turning around, Ryuji headed towards his room, shutting the door behind him once there. With a sigh, he laid his backpack on the floor, tossing himself onto the bed, eyes closed. Despite how calm he was showing to everyone, including his mother, inside, Ryuji was panicking. There were some things that just wasn't adding up, and when he looked down at his cellphone, that feeling grew intense. He remember _specifically_ having everyone's number for a group chat so they could discuss things, Phantom Thieves things, and now he didn't have them anymore. He had to get them all again after Akira decided to keep him in their little group, and while it hadn't been easy (Ann, fighting tooth and nail for the number), Ryuji was still in disbelief that the numbers he had _mysteriously vanished._

 _Maybe because they don't remember you? That has to be it, right? Can't have a number of a person you don't know._ A voice said in his head. A solid, reasonable thought, he told himself, but that still didn't make him feel any less easy (Seriously. He had _everyone's number,_ and they are all _gone._ And what happened to the group chat?).

Another thing that has been bugging him was the fact that Kamoshida was nowhere to be found. In fact, that was the biggest, most glaringly obvious, problem Ryuji could pick out among his troubles - aside from his friends not remembering him. He can still remember the looks he was given whenever he'd brought him up.

_It had started after Ryuji had changed his clothes for gym, a class he knows he was dreading. Just because everything else was right and peachy in the world did not mean that the class, the person who represented the class, was going to be the same. The more Ryuji stepped into the familiar place, the more anxious he was getting. He didn't want to hear anymore whispers behind his back, the glares he'd gotten from the track team, and he **definitely** did not want to see Kamoshida's sneering face. Though, after changing his heart, he never had to worry about Kamoshida again, the aftermath was still sore for Ryuji. If, for whatever reason, Kamoshida was still here, then he's going to have to swallow his pride, bare the insults, and make do with the demon that has haunted Ryuji and the rest of the students in Shujin Academy._

_As he walked inside, he quickly spotted Akira near the bench, looking quite the wallflower despite his previous interaction with literally everyone, and especially Ryuji. Seeing how Kamoshida wasn't there yet, he made his way over to the black haired teen._

_"Hey," Ryuji started. Akira glanced over to him and gave him a smile. Nothing like Joker, yet it still made Ryuji's heart twinge. It was so small and innocent._

_"Hey good-lookn'," Akira said, smirking when Ryuji stuttered, blushing once more. **So much for small and innocent.** The blonde thought, never noticing how Akira was looking at him up and down. "Nice legs."_

_"D-dude," Ryuji stuttered, his face hot. "Stop. This is embarrassing."_

_"I don't think I really want to," Akira said, tilting his head slightly to the left, making his curls bounce. Ryuji had noticed it - as he always do whenever Akira has something to do with anything - and once again, Ryuji found himself whining. " You seem to enjoy the attention though."_

_"Do you ALWAYS hit on the new student? Or am I just special?" Ryuji asked. Akira bowed his head, and if he had glasses, Ryuji was sure he would've fiddle with them until they got that anime gleam Ryuji knows all too well._

_"The latter. I can't help but find cute, somewhat shy, blond boys attractive." He said, grey eyes on Ryuji, who gulped. There was something predatory about the way Akira was looking at him, and, even if Ryuji denies the idea of being shy, being stared at by his crush with a look that made Ryuji feel like a mouse and Akira the cat did nothing to dampen the idea._

_"I...I have no idea how to respond to that." He admitted, feeling like his face was about explode with how warm it feels, indicating he was blushing. Akira hummed, eyes slowly trailing over Ryuji's body until he got to his legs, and never moving them after. Seeing this, Ryuji tried to cover them, just now wishing the shorts weren't REALLY that short. "S-stop starin'!"_

_"You really do have nice legs, though," Akira pouted. "They are so slim."_

_"I use to run, y'know. That probably helps." Ryuji stated, folding his arms with a huff._

_"Actually, I didn't know that. Thanks for telling me," Akira said. "Maybe you and I should run together sometime, yeah?" He smiled. Ryuji thought about it. It wasn't like Akira hadn't offered the idea before, when they first met actually, and he had found out Ryuji use to be the star runner of the track team. After everything that went down with Kamoshida, the blond had been depressed at the mere thought of running, knowing he couldn't do it for long as his leg would give out underneath him._

_"I'd like that." Ryuji said, smiling at the boy, who beamed right back. Suddenly, an older male came into the gym and Ryuji was surprised it was not Kamoshida who'd walked in, but someone else. Someone Ryuji didn't know. "Is that our teacher? Where's Kamoshida?"_

_Akira frowned, tilting his head, confusion clear as day in his eyes._

_"Who?" He asked._

_"You know, the asshole P.E gym teacher. The guy whose heart we had to change because, well, he was an asshole." Ryuji said. When Akira said nothing, looking more confused than before, Ryuji felt his gut twisting, bile coming up his throat. Right. This Akira was not the same Akira he'd remembered. And in knowing that, a heavy feeling laid on his heart._

_"I'm sorry, I don't know who Kamoshida is, but why is he an asshole? And what do you mean we had to change his heart?" Akira asked, in a gentle, nonjudgmental tone. Then again, Akira was never judgmental, more nonchalant than anything, and damn it, he was going to cry. **Not my Akira. He's not my Akira. What we had is gone, for now. Not my Akira.** Ryuji chanted inside his head, and he gave him a brief smile._

_"It's...it's okay. I guess I probably dreamt of that too." **No I didn't.** Akira frowned._

_"Ryuji," He started, making the blond look up. "You can tell me anything. I won't judge you for it. If it has something to do with your memories..."_

_"It does," He interrupted. "Trust me, it does. You...you play a bigger role in this than any one of our friends. In fact, everything we did, everything I did, started from you. Because of you."_

_Akira didn't say anything afterwards, but when it was time to start class, neither of them spoke, too busy lost in their thoughts._

After that, Ryuji had asked around about his former teacher, and was met with the same confusion Akira had given him when he'd first mentioned Kamoshida. In fact, Mishima was the very first person that should've clued Ryuji in that something was amiss, when Mishima's first reaction to the teacher was to cringe and hide away, shielding himself while trying defend Kamoshida for his shitty actions. Nobody seem to know who Kamoshida is, why he was important, and why Ryuji was the only one who keeps bringing him up. They would just look at him with much curiosity as a teen could get whenever a topic was brought to their attention, amidst with the confusion, and when they ask what Kamoshida was all about, Ryuji couldn't answer. He didn't want to.

 _They all look so happy without him there. There's no need to ruin it by bringing up the shit stain that likes to see kids suffering._ He thought before rolling to his side, staring blankly at the wall. His eyelids felt heavy, and he was feeling tired again, a yawn breaking out before he could even stop it. Without much thought, Ryuji closed his eyes and began to sleep.

* * *

He could hear mumbling, all around him. It felt as though he was floating, and yet there was something heavy weighing against him, like chains wrapped around him. Instead of chains, however, he could feel finger-like things on his skin, on his body, indicating that they might be hands, rather. Still, they felt cold and heavy, pressing against him tightly like a blanket, and he struggled a little as the mumblings and whispers continued.

_**Not waking up....** _

_**There's something....** _

_**He's so still.....** _

_**Uji...can....** _

_**Please...don't..** _

_**Wake....up...** _

_**No....spell...can't...** _

_**This....terrible...** _

_**Kira...okay?** _

_**His...persona....** _

_**Ryuji....wake...** _

* * *

With a gasp, Ryuji shot up from the bed, eyes wide. Looking around, he had notice it had gotten quite dark, and that he was tucked into bed. There was some food next to his stand where he'd kept all his manga, and he figures his mother must've came to check up on him, only to realize he had fallen asleep. Placing a hand on his heart, questions started to appear in his mind, eyebrows furrowing.

"Was someone calling for me?"  


	7. Chapter 7

After completing his homework and his dinner, Ryuji was left with little to do. It's not like he can go out, sun having already been gone, but if Ryuji was going to be up for at least another hour or so, he'll need something to do. _I can read manga, I guess._ He thought, reaching for one of his books when his phone started to vibrate. _Huh. Who could that be?_

 

>> **AK:** You up?

 

Ryuji blinked. Usually, it was always Ryuji that called Akira, no matter how late it is. The idea Akira calling him first made his heart flutter. _Shit, get it together, Ryuji._ Shaking his head, Ryuji texted back:

 

>> **RY:** Yeah. I had passed out as soon as I got through the door, so I'll probably be up for another hour or so. What's up?

>> **AK:** Just wondering if you'd like to go to the arcade with me after school. You know, to see if it jogs your memory. Or mine. This is confusing.

 

Ryuji couldn't help but chuckle at the confession.

 

>> **RY:** Don't look at me. I have no idea what's going on either.

>> **RY:** But sure, why not? I always loved the arcade.

>> **AK:** Who doesn't? Anyway, get some sleep. Or try to. It'll do us no good if you're coming to school looking like a zombie.

>> **RY:** Har, har. Alright. Good night, Akira.

>> **AK:** Night.

 

Closing the phone, Ryuji laid back on his bed, looking at the ceiling. There was so many things going through his mind right now, things he didn't understand, but want to, and above all, he was still thinking about what happened earlier in his sleep. _Was that a dream? Or...was someone actually calling me? The voices sounded so real. And they sounded like my friends._ He thought, biting his lip. _I feel like something like this has happened before. And if it did, I should be able to know what to do, right? If, if this world that I am in now is indeed a dream, I should be able to wake up right? Like a Palace, or something._ But the thing is, it didn't _feel_ like a Palace. And why the heck would Ryuji would want his own friends not to remember him? The desire for Akira, and having that returned was understandable - and he hates comparing it to what Kamoshida wanted from Ann - and  _yes,_ he never wanted anyone to die just cause they changed a few hearts, but that still didn't explain certain things.

 _This hurts too much to think about. And If I DID have a Palace, would I even be aware?_ Ryuji would've thought his Palace would be nothing, but video games, anime, some girls in skimpy clothes, and of course Akira himself, to be honest. Also, having Kamoshida getting exactly what he'd deserved, but that has already happened, so there was no point in bringing it up now. _Just get some sleep. We can figure this shit out in the morning._ Yawning, Ryuji turned over to his side and fell back to sleep.

* * *

"Ohayo, Ryuji-kun." A voice from behind called out just as the blond yawned. Turning around, he spotted Akira, Ann (still looking disgruntled), Haru, and Makoto walking towards him. Haru smiled at him. "Did you get enough sleep? You're looking awfully tired." She said.

"That's because he fell asleep as soon as he got home." Akira snorted, smiling when Ryuji gave him a glare.

"Tired or not, I hope you're prepared for the arcade today," Ann said, giving him a glare. "The sooner we can figure out what's going on, the better."

"Ouch. Cut me real deep, why don't you?" Ryuji muttered, backing away when Ann threaten to take a step towards him, growling. It was only thanks to Akira and Haru that she didn't get to him like she wanted, both looking amused.

"In any case, Sakamoto-san,"

"Ryuji, please." Ryuji whined, startling Makoto.

"Right. Ryuji, then, I'm assuming you did your homework before you went to bed, right?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Ryuji nodded.

"It's pretty bad, but I got it done. I kinda figured you'd be on my case if I didn't." He said, and Ann narrowed her eyes.

"What's _that_ suppose to mean? Are you saying something about Makoto?" She asked.

"Nothing bad, jeeze. It's just the Makoto I know was pretty much the mother hen of our group; always making sure we did our homework, making sure we don't go to class late, making sure we were okay during our heist and plans-"

"Heist?" 

Ryuji blinked, and turned around to see his friends giving him looks of confusion, all of them frowning. _Well, fuck. In for a penny, in for a nickel._ He thought.

"The Phantom Thieves. Us."

"Are you saying we're _criminals?!_ " Ann shouted, drawing attention to their group, which Akira quickly hushed her for. Ryuji bit his tongue.

"No!" He paused. "Yes. Maybe? Like I said, it's complicated."

"Then you better start UNcomplicating it, _right now._ " Ann said, and Jesus, was Ann always this scary when she's mad? Swallowing his spit, Ryuji was going to open his mouth when he was saved by Akira - bless his soul.

"Maybe during lunch? I'm kinda curious now." He said.

"Me too. Though, I can't imagine why I want to be a thief." Haru hummed, looking thoughtful.

"We'll have this discussion later. First period is about to begin, and I'm sure your teacher is excited to meet you, Ryuji." Makoto said. He had just remembered that he hadn't actually gotten to introduce himself in his first period and groaned, hanging his head. With a pat on his shoulder by Akira, the others made their way to their class, Ryuji dragging his feet. 


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay, so spill; What's with this Phantom Thieves thing you mentioned, and how does it deal with us?" Ann asked the very moment Ryuji sat down across from her during lunch. The group looked at the blond with curious eyes, all of them wondering what he was going to say. Swallowing, gathering as much thought as possible, Ryuji began to speak.

"I'm...not sure where to begin." He said.

"You can start at the beginning." Makoto said, but Ryuji shook his head.

"Even then, it's hard to talk about. Mostly because, the story doesn't start with me. It starts with Akira." He said, and everyone looked surprised. Akira merely raised an eyebrow at Ryuji as everyone else looked between the two.

"Is that what you'd meant by 'playing a bigger role'?" He asked and Ryuji nodded.

"Yeah...It's...I..." Ryuji sighed. "I can't even understand it myself, but all I know, is that when we first met things were pretty shitty - and you helped make it NOT shitty. If that makes sense."

"It really doesn't," Ann said, looking as tired as she felt. "But I'm sure it will the more you keep talking."

"Anyway, I...it's....Shujin Academy isn't what it is as you guys see it," Ryuji started, looking surprisingly serious, catching his friends off guard. "It's a good school, probably, but there are too many kids that likes to start rumors and believe them, and when they start believing, it's like...you're an outsider to them. As if they never seen you before."

"It would explain the hair, right?" Makoto asked.

"Getting to that," Ryuji said before continuing. "And...and the _adults_ are the worst offenders. They don't do anythin'. They simply keep to themselves and whenever you try to bring somethin' to their attention, they just brush it off. Like it doesn't matter," He started to scowl. "They just give you this _look,_ y'know? Like they know everythin' about you just cause a few incidents and rumors bein' spread around. They start thinkin' that you're the worst." Ryuji balled his hands into a fist. "There was this one guy, y'know? He was absolutely _terrible._ When I was still on the track team, he would punish us and make us do things that would be considered child labor. Whenever one of us did something, he would punish the whole group - physically. He hated us, and especially _me._ I usually got the worst of it," At this, everyone frowned. "He was just a big bully to the track team, but to the valley ball team..." A low chuckled escaped him, and it didn't escape his notice how his friends looked at each other, worried. "He was a pervert. Spying on girls, trying to have his way. Especially to Ann."

"M-Me?!" Ann squeaked, looking disgusted and horrified at the same time. Ryuji nodded.

"You, Mishima, and I were the main targets of his harassment," He said. Mishima eyes went wide, before biting his lower lip. Ryuji couldn't help but feel sorry for him. _Even in this world, you still get the brute end of the stick._ He thought, remembering the bruises on this world's Mishima's face. "Physically abused me, used Mishima for blackmail and leaking information about other students, including Akira," Akira raised an eyebrow and Mishima winced at the thought. "And Ann....he was lusting after you. And the thing was...you let him."

"Why?! Why would I do that?!" Ann shouted, fist slamming the table, fire in her eyes. For a second, Ryuji thought he was staring into the eyes of her Persona, Carmen, but he shook his head.

"Because..it was..." He looked over at Shiho, who gasped and Ann's jaw dropped.

"Me too?" Shiho asked, looking freaked out and worried. Immediately, Ann tossed her arm across her shoulder in a protective manner.

"It's all the girls, but you two...you two were the ones he was after. But Ann wouldn't allow it, so-"

"So I took most of his disgusting attention, didn't I?" Ann asked, frowning. Ryuji nodded.

"It was hard to learn that, and I...I was trying so hard to protect you. Because, in my world, we were friends. You hooking up with him caused a blow to your popularity, and before I knew it, you were in the same position as I - outcast by a shitty adult, and some shitty friends. In fact, Shiho and I were the only friends you had." He said.

"What do you mean by outcast? What's your story?" Akira asked, intrigued.

"I, uh, I...punched him. In the face." At the looks he received, Ryuji shrugged his shoulders. "He was talking shit about my dad. In my world, my dad was an asshole who'd left mom and I, and was an abusive drunk for the few times he'd stayed. The fact that he found out about it, and told the rest of my teammates pissed me off so I punched him. Biggest mistake of my life."

"Why?" Akira asked once more.

"It cost the team the finals, and they were pretty pissed when they realized I had screwed them over. I was pretty devastated too. I was off the track team afterwards, and since then, everyone in Shujin started to avoid me. Scared that I might one day end up punching them like I did Kamoshida."

"Kamoshida? Oh! The asshole gym teacher you were talking about earlier!" Akira said, and Ann huffed.

"Now I see why he deserved that title. A perverted freak who abuses children, and ruin their lives and for what? What would he gain from that?" She asked, angry, but for once, Ryuji was glad she wasn't angry at him.

"He thinks himself as a king, and it became apparent when we first stepped into his Palace." Ryuji said, confusing the group.

"King? Palace? What are you saying?" Makoto asked, but before he could answer, they had realized they had spent the whole lunch period talking and now it was time to get to class. Pouting, they stood up. "We'll continue this conversation later. At the arcade." Makoto said, and group nodded.

"Uh, can I come too? I have nowhere else to be, and I'm really interested in Ryuji-kun's story." Mishima asked, somewhat shrinking into himself. Ryuji had the strangest of urge to hug him and ruffle his hair when Akira nodded.

"You know you are welcome to go anywhere with us, Yuuki-san. You're our friend." Haru giggled, making him blush. As everyone went their separate ways, Ryuji stood behind, having to notice Mishima heading straight towards the bathroom, and he could only guess for what. Pushing the door open, a whimper was met and standing in front of the sink was Mishima, trying to cool a purple-ish looking bruise on his arm with a wet towel.

"Figures not everything about this school is what it seems to be." Ryuji started, startling Mishima.

"Ryuji-kun!"

"Why haven't you told anyone about the bullying? I'm sure Ann would've kicked their ass," He said and then smirked. "Hell, _I_ would've kissed their ass, and you only known me for about a day!" Mishima blushed.

"I..I don't think it's too bad. Just a couple of scratches."

"Bad or not, you have to learn how to defend yourself. You know how I know you're getting bullied? Because in my world, being the lackey of Kamoshida didn't really help you win popularity either. Many people - myself included - were pissed at you for spilling their secrets to him." Ryuji said.

"Y-You too? G-gomen, I...it seems I cause trouble for everyone, this world or not." Mishima said, looking down at his abused arm. Ryuji rolled his eyes and groaned. He's not great at pep talk, but he likes Mishima despite what he's done, and he really didn't want to see the boy become someone's punching bag.

"Don't beat yourself up for that. I, and Akira, have forgiven you a long time ago. After all, you were as much of a victim of Kamoshida was to the rest of us." Ryuji shrugged his shoulders while Mishima sighed.

"I'm not surprise that Akira-senpai has forgiven me. He's a really nice person." He said, blushing a little. Taking note of that, Ryuji refused to roll his eyes and scoff, stomping down the jealously that was crawling up his stomach.

"Senpai? Aren't you two in the same year?" Mishima shook his head.

"A little older. What about you? Are you two in the same year?" He asked.

"If you're asking about my world, yes, we are. Second years. As for this world, no, we are not. I think I'm a little under him, despite having some classes together." Ryuji said, frowning when he realized that he'll now have to call Akira, Akira-senpai. A shiver went up his spine. _No. Just No._ He thought. **What about Akira-sensei?** A voice, devious and sounded much like his own, asked, and Ryuji mentally squashed it. _No. No senpai, no sensei. Just Akira._ "Anyway, back on track. You. Bullies. Gotta do something. I'm sure this world isn't like my world. Tell the teachers, and see if they can do anything."

Mishima frowned.

"I doubt it. Even if things are better here, bullying still isn't a problem worth looking into, according to the school." He grouched, and Ryuji frowned.

"Alright, you know what? Guess I'll have to teach you how to defend yourself myself!" He said. Mishima blinked.

"You...want me to punch someone?" He asked, giving Ryuji a sour look and the blond shook his head.

"No! You can defend yourself without having to resort to violence! Just a simple disarming a person should do the trick, really." He said. "It's not violent, I promise you. I kind of took up classes after having to be pushed around so many times. It won't end up like the Kamoshida incident. I won't have you throwing punches - just dodging, weaving, and pretty much letting themselves do all the work. Can't get into trouble if you're not the one who caused it." Mishima looked thoughtful.

"I'll...I'll think about it." He said. Ryuji beamed and as the two walked out the bathroom, once Mishima was done patching himself up, they failed to notice a certain black figure in the window, watching them.

"See ya at the arcade!" Ryuji said. Mishima nodded and began walking to class, Ryuji going into the opposite direction. He had made it just in time to look over at the window as he enter the class, his heart stopping when he met familiar blue eyes.

 _Mona?!_      


	9. Chapter 9

Ryuji had been so sure it had been Morgana at the window. He's never met another cat that was black, had blue eyes, and wears a handkerchief around its neck like him. But when he open his eyes after blinking a few times, the cat was gone, leaving him to wonder if he had imagining it the whole time. Hours ticked by, and before he knew it, it was time to head to the arcade with the others.

"Okay. We have all the time in the world now - tell us your story!" Ann said. Ryuji rubbed the back of his neck, biting his lip.

"Jeeze, you were never interested in anything I have to say before." He said.

"Well, I don't like being accused of a title I _know_ I am not! So I want to know; _why_ are we called the Phantom Thieves? What do we steal? How does certain adults behavior lead you to  _become_ a group that sounds suspicious and evil?" Ann said, and Ryuji glared at her.

"We are _not_ evil. We do these things for a good cause!"

"Oh, so you're telling me we're like Robin Hood? Steal from the rich, give to the poor?" Ann asked, but the tone of her voice sounded taunting, mocking almost. Ryuji could feel his anger building up, but before things could blow out of proportion, Akira placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing. Ann narrowed her eyes at this and turned her head with a slight 'humf'. Meanwhile, Makoto decided to keep the peace by interrupting them.

"I would also like to know about the King thing you mentioned. Something about a Palace?" She asked. Ryuji sighed.

"Kamoshida thought himself as a King, of our school. He thought no one could touch him, and that he'll be safe," He shrugged his shoulders. "Turns out, it's not so safe. There's thing...this other world, called a Palace. It's apparently something that is born out of a person's heart and thoughts - particularly, if said person is corrupted."

"Corrupted?" Makoto asked. 

"Negative thoughts and feelings. If a person's feelings is so strong, they could manifest their own Palaces inside a thing called the Mementos. It's really weird, and I wish I had Morgana to explain it to you," Ryuji whined, not noticing how Akira's face lit up in surprise, nor anyone else's.

"You said Morgana....how do you know my cat's name? Is there a person named Morgana too?" Akira asked, both curious and wary. Ryuji blinked.

"Huh? No dude, Mona's a cat. Just like this world's. I think." He said.

"What do you mean?" Akira asked, narrowing his eyes at Ryuji. Ryuji tensed when he realized Akira - despite flirting with him minutes ago - was getting just as suspicious as Ann had been. _Not surprising,_ He thought, kicking his feet and pouting. _He's always with that damn cat, and being his BFF, and choosing his side over mine._

"I _think_ I saw a cat a few minutes ago when we were still in school. It had blue eyes, but it was gone before I could take a closer look. It reminded me of Mona. Well, my Mona." Ryuji said.

"I honestly wouldn't be surprise if it was. Mona is quite attached to Akira, to the point of following him to school." Makoto said with a grin on her face. Akira blushed lightly and it was all Ryuji could do not to feel jealous. _Maybe this world's Mona is a normal cat. Maybe they aren't the same people. Maybe this world's Mona will actually be nice to me for once._ Ryuji tried to look on the positive side.

"And in any case, my world's Morgana is, in fact, a cat. And yes, I do mean he could explain it to you. He can talk." Ryuji said.

"Now that's just silly," Haru said, though not unkind. "Everyone knows cats can't talk."

"Yeah, well, Mona isn't a normal cat," Ryuji started. "He's part of our crew. He...he helped us a lot more than I can admit," _Can or unwilling?_ The same voice that had taunted Ryuji about the world he knew came back, sounding very ugly and a bit more darker. He shook his head. "And, like I said, this whole mess started with Akira."

"But before we can jump into that, tell us about the Palace you've mentioned. This Kamoshida thought himself as King so....his Palace was a castle?" Haru asked, and Ryuji nodded.

"Yeah. With all his royal guards and it turns out that the prisoners were actually school students. Thus, the reasoning why I said he's the king of the school." His eyes narrowed. "He thought we were his salves."

"How terrible." Makoto shook her head. Ann didn't say anything, but Ryuji could tell she wasn't thinking nice thoughts. Which was fine, Ryuji had done so the whole time Kamoshida had been present at Shujin, really.

"Normally, it would've been a regular day for me - until I found out about Ann," At this, Ann perked up, blue eyes sharp as Ryuji continued. "I...I wanted to save her from Kamoshida. She didn't deserve anything from that man. And I knew he was picking her up from the Aoyama-Itchome Subway station, so I ran as fast I could to stop her from getting into that car with him." Ryuji balled his hands into a fist as he remembered that fateful day. "I was too late. She was already gone. But...that's when I met you, Akira." He turned to look at the black haired student. He blushed. "I, uh, I didn't exactly have the greatest impression on you."

"You did something stupid?" Ann teased, causing Ryuji to blush even further.

"...Something like that." He muttered, while Akira cocked his head to the side with a raised eyebrow.

"Let me guess; you tried to threaten him, didn't you? Thought he was like the rest of the students of Shuji Academy, despite never seeing him in your life?" Ann asked, and Ryuji stared at her, eyes wide and jaw dropping.

"H-How?"

"Like I said - you look like a delinquent. But you're not a very smart one, as far as I can see," Ann sighed, ignoring Ryuji's sputter. "To be frank...I really can't see you as a delinquent. There's something about you that just doesn't scream 'delinquent' to me."

"Maybe it's the fact that he wanted to help you? How many delinquents do you know that does that?" Haru asked.

"The fact that I have yet to see you get into trouble despite the whole breaking into the Principle's office thing also says something." Makoto added.

"And his smile." Akira mumbled, causing Ryuji to blush while the rest of the group rolled their eyes.

"In any case, yeah...that's...that's what happened," Ryuji bit his lip before continuing with his story. "Anyway, I kind of figured out that you were the new Transfer Student right away-"

"Wait, transfer? You mean to tell me that Akira transferred here to Shujin and not you?" Ann asked, surprising. Ryuji nodded.

"That reminds me. Have you always been going to Shujin Academy?" He asked, looking at the teen beside him. Akira nodded.

"More than your Akira, apparently," He stated.

"Well, in my world, you were the transfer student."

"Did I hit on you?" Akira suddenly asked, stopping Ryuji from continuing the story. The blond blinked while the rest of the students groaned.

"No...? I don't see why you would do that....?" Ryuji said, and blushed when he heard Akira cursed under his breath, ignoring being elbowed in the gut by Ann. "And afterwards, I had decided to lead you to the school when...." Ryuji paused. "The world around us changed. The next thing I knew, we were headed towards a castle."

"Kamoshida's castle." Makoto clarified, and Ryuji nodded.

"It was weird. One moment everything was normal, and the next, we were transported to the Mementos - right next to his castle. I thought I was going crazy until I asked Akira if he was seeing it too. Later, though, it turns out that Akira had an app that allows him - and the rest of us - to go through both worlds and I think the app activated when we got close to a Palace." He paused, thinking. "It was stupid, but it was our school. We had to go in."

"So you did." Ann stated, folding her arms.

"Without anything to protect you from your enemies." Makoto added, frowning. Meanwhile, Mishima was taking all this in with wide eyes.

"It's not like we could. I don't think Mementos would allow any outside world objects in them. Although...." Ryuji thought about asking Akira about the guns, but decided not to. He didn't want to freak out his friends like that, and he really didn't want to put Akira in the spotlight like that. "Besides, we are students, remember? How'd you think it would look like if we were suddenly carrying weapons to defend ourselves from shadows?"

"Shadows?" Mishima spoke, curious.

"Uh, part of the whole negatively-corrupting thing. It's basically your every negative thought in a person - person being you of course." Ryuji said.

"Interesting...." He muttered, looking down at his lap where his notepad was.

"This honestly sounds like one big joke, to be honest with you," Ann said, frowning a little. "Castles appearing from nowhere, an app that allows us to go through the real world and a...what was it? A Mementos?" Ann shook her head. "None of that can be real."

"Now Ann. We shouldn't judge until we get to know the whole story." Makoto said, patting the blonde on her shoulder. "Though, I must agree - some of it sounds like it came straight from a anime. Perhaps that's what it was?"

"NO!" Ryuji shouted, startling everyone around them. "I know it sounds crazy. I know none of it makes sense. But, I'm telling you, it's real. Maybe. This world feels real too, and now I'm confused."

"I, for one, believe you," Haru said, making everyone look at her. "As I told you on the roof, I cannot prove that everything you are saying is true. But I cannot _disprove_ it either. All I know is that it really feels like I know you, as if we are friends," She smiled. "And, even if it was a dream, I'd still be behind you. Because we are friends."

Ryuji wanted to cry.

"Thanks Haru."

"My pleasure."

As the day started to draw to a close, Ryuji and Akira were the only two left, walking towards the station, as the others had already went home.

"You believe me, don't you? You're...you're my closest friend, next to Ann. Well, since the whole track team bullshit, really." Ryuji said. Akira hummed, titling his head a little, eyes closed. A Minute passed before he decided to open them again.

"Yes," He said. Ryuji paused.

"F-For real?! You believe me?!" He asked, eyes wide before he narrowed them. "Wait, you're not saying that because you like me or whatever, right?"

Akira shook his head.

"No. Haru said it best - you're not lying. Somehow, I know you're not. But it's really hard to disprove anything you said because there isn't evidence for neither side. So, in a sense, yes, I believe you," Then Akira moved closer to him, causing his breath to hitch. "Ryuji....just know I'm beside you 100% of the way."

Ryuji stared at him, in wonder. Just as Akira was about to lean closer, a sudden crash interrupted them, causing Ryuji to jump while Akira turned his head to the noise. There, on the trashcan, was the cat Ryuji had been talking about.

"Mona," Akira started, looking quite displeased. "Have you been following me?"

Ryuji had expected actual words. What he got was a soft meow.

The cat leaped off the can and began making his way over to Akira, purring as he in between his legs, before glancing over at Ryuji, who froze at the look.

"Ryuji, this is Mona - my annoying and sometimes overprotective cat. Mona, this is Ryuji. Say hi." Akira said, picking up the cat and holding up his paw with a smile on his face. The cat meow softly before jumping out of his owner's arms, and into Ryuji's, startling both of them. When the cat began to lick him, Akiria smiled. "Funny. Mona typically doesn't like strangers. He had to tried to claw Goro-san's face once."

 _Yeah, I bet he did._ Ryuji thought, smirking at the thought of Mona trying to damage Akechi's face. Truthfully, he felt quite pleased that this world's Morgana liked him, and hated Akechi. He couldn't blame it, not after everything the bastard did anyway.

"Heh. This Goro-san's not Akechi Goro is he?" He asked. Akira blinked.

"Yes, he is. Is he part of the Phantom Thieves too?" He asked, and Ryuji very, nearly, gripped Mona a little too hard.

"No. Absolutely not." Like hell Akechi was apart of their group. Ryuji would fight pretty boy to hell and back before that happened.

"Ah, I see..." Akira said, before smirking a little. "Not a fan of Goro-san?"

"Nope. Anyway. It's late, and our parents might be worried we're spending too much time here. We should go." Ryuji said, handing Mona back. Funniest thing it seemed like Mona didn't want to leave, meowing softly as he and Akira went their separate ways. Ryuji watched them go. _In this world, Mona likes you. He's ten times better than old Morgana._ He thought, but then his gust twisted.

 _This isn't normal._      


	10. Chapter 10

Upon returning home, Ryuji was greeted by the smell of something cooking, and he could hear faint murmurs in the kitchen.

"Tadaima! (I'm home!)" He greeted, taking off his shoes at the door.

"Ah, Ryuji-kun, you made it just in time. Your father would like to have a word with you." His mother said, causing the blond to stiffen.

Right. He had almost forgotten his dead-beat of a father was still a thing he needed to pay attention to, after spending so much time with his friends. Turning around, Ryuji watched as the man began to walk over to him from the kitchen, gesturing towards the door back outside so they could talk in private. Groaning slightly, Ryuji put his shoes back on and open the door as he and his father walked out and sat on the steps.

"Ryuji," He started, looking at the sky as Ryuji turned his head. "I'll be honest: your reaction towards me is worrisome. It seems...you don't trust me, and I....it kind of hurts. You were never liked that before the nightmare, so I want to know...did I...ever do something to you and your mother that made you not like me?"

"You left us," The words came out faster than Ryuji would like to admit. "You left mom and I after you lost your job. You started drinking, and becoming abusive towards us, towards me because I wouldn't have allowed you to hit my mother," He narrowed his eyes. "You also ruined my life in school. A teacher, who's just as bad, found out and told my friends - well, the friends that I had in the dream. I reacted towards that, and it cost me everything. I hated you. Still kind of do."

If anything, at least his father looked devastated, but instead of feeling satisfied, Ryuji just felt horrible and shame. _I've waited so long to tell you how I felt. And when I finally do, suddenly it feels like I'm the bad guy._ He thought.

"I...yeah, after everything you've said, I guess I can't blame you for hating me. But Ryuji-kun," His father looked straight at him. "I never had a slip of alcohol before. Truth be told, your story sounds similar to my own father. He had lost his job, and started drinking and sleeping around with other women. It had devastated my mother, and though I took most of his physical hits so he could never lay a finger on her, it still hurts. Right there, I had promised to never drink that filth that turned him into someone I've never seen. I had stayed clear of all alcohol even when I met your mother, when you were born. Your birth was the happiest day of my life, and I knew I couldn't ruin it - not in the way my own father did."

"And...if I ever decided to take on a boyfriend?" Ryuji had to know. It wasn't like his original father knew Ryuji liked boys - specifically, Akira - before he'd left, but he'd always wondered if knowing that, knowing he was crushing on a guy, would've made his situation worse.

"Then, I'll wish you all the best. I support you in everything you do, Ryu-kun; boyfriend, girlfriend, doesn't matter to me as long as they make you happy." He smiled. "I'm sure your mother would agree with me, even if she's disappointed she'll never have grandchildren," His father chuckled as Ryuji blushed. "So...you have a boyfriend, then, I take it?"

Ryuji sputtered.

"N-no!"

"But you _do_ like someone. Does that mean you have friends now?"

"Didn't I ever?"

"Actually," His father frowned. "No. You always stuck to yourself, despite getting good grades. It's funny - you were so loud and cheerful as a kid, and despite that, you had trouble making friends. I guess they couldn't see what we saw in you." He ruffled his son's hair, despite Ryuji's protest.

"Sooo...you don't know a girl named Ann, then?" Ryuji asked, causing his father to frown.

"Should I? The name sounds familiar."

"Takamaki. Her last name is Takamaki." Ryuji suggested, hoping to see a slimmer of recognition in his father's eyes. After all, just before he'd left, he and Ann were friends since they were 8, and she knew the type of person Ryuji had been - and probably knew what his father was behind closed doors. Instead, he frown even deeper.

"Takamaki....? No....can't say I have." His father said, and Ryuji sighed.

"That's fine. I'm use to people not remembering what I remember." He said, and his father looked at him, concern written on his face. _You know, sometimes I miss the absent father figure thing. This one seems too overbearing for me to deal with._ Ryuji thought, nearly smirking.

"Now I'm confused. Remember what, exactly? Am I suppose to think I'm a bad father because of your dream?" He asked, and Ryuji shook his head.

"It's nothing. Come on, Okaasan (mother) is probably done cooking by now, and it's getting a bit chilly." He said, standing up when his father stopped him.

"I hope you don't mind, Ryuji-kun, that I decided to spend some time with you this weekend. Do you like camping?" He asked. Ryuji blinked.

"Camping...?" Truth be told, Ryuji had never went camping before, so he shrugged his shoulders. "I...guess?"

"Right. You've never been. Well, I decided we should get some father-and-son bonding time later this week. Unless...you have plans with your friends." He said, frowning. Ryuji just smiled.

"Okay, Otōsan (father). I would like that." He said, and he watched his father smile back at him, causing some fuzzy feelings to take place in the pit of his stomach. _I...really like this. I wish this was an actual thing. I want to believe this is my true father._ He thought as they went back inside, where dinner was ready to be served.

Later on that night, Ryuji had been reading his manga when his phone buzzed.

 

>> **AK:** My cat is trying to kill me.

>> **AK:** Send help.

 

Ryuji felt a smile coming across his face before he could stop it. Was Akira always this silly? Or just this world's Akira?

 

>> **RY:** What is he doing now?

>> **AK:** Making a mess for Sojiro to clean up

>> **AK:** If this continues, Sojiro might fire me from working at Leblanc.

>> **AK:** And then I'll have to explain to my parents why I have a cat following me literally everywhere, including work.

 

At that, Ryuji raised an eyebrow. As far as he knew, Akira lived with Sojiro. Could that mean...?

 

>> **RY:** You live with your parents?

>> **AK:** Um, yeah. Doesn't every teenager live with their parents? Unless something has happened to me in your world that caused me to NOT live with them.

 

Ryuji bit his lip, nervous. Should he tell him...?

 

>> **AK:** Something did happen, didn't it?

>> **RY:** I'm sorry. Do you want me to tell you?

>> **AK:** Nah. If it's about the things you've told us today, I think it's better if you told the whole group if it's included.

>> **RY:** To be honest, you were reluctant to tell us in the first place, but when you did, I was the first to know. It kinda sucks since the only reason any of us are friends is because we are in the same boat, one way or another.

>> **AK:** I am not at all surprise by the fact that I told you first. Haven't I told you already that you were cute?

>> **RY:** SHUDDUP, jeeze, you're embarrassing.

>> **AK:** ;)

>> **AK:** On the bright side of things, yeah, it's a bummer that our reasons to hang out with each other is because we were accused of something, or a victim of an evil adult.

>> **RY:** That's not very bright.

>> **AK:** The bright side is we're friends, now. To me, that's a bonus.

>> **AK:** There's also you, so that's another bonus.

>> **RY:** effin' STOP already. You're so...so....

>> **AK:** Handsome? Sexy? Lovely?

>> **RY:** A cocky little shit. Jeeze, you were never this bold in my world. Especially towards ME, of all people.

>> **AK:** What do you mean? Why WOULDN'T I be bold towards you?

>> **RY:** Have you seen you? Even with your reputation, you are STILL a chick magnet, and I think even some of the guys were envious of you because of your looks.

>> **RY:** Ann once told me she liked you when you two first met. She thought you were cute, and I remember seeing you staring at her before. I really thought you two were going to get together.

>> **RY:** Then, there was Makoto who also liked you. I remember hearing a rumor about you two being a couple in the hallways. I mostly thought about Ann, and how devastated she would've been if she knew.

 

Not to mention his own heart break. Yeah, hearing that wasn't an easy pill to swallow.

 

>> **RY:** So yeah. You had options. Just didn't think I was one.

>> **AK:** My other self is an idiot, then. You already ARE an option for me, but I don't consider you one.

>> **AK:** Also, Ann and I are just good friends. She's the one that likes to kick my ass whenever I do something stupid. Personally, I think she and Shiho are a cute couple.

>> **AK:** As for Makoto....she's nice. I just don't see her as that.

>> **AK:** Is there anyone else you'd like to add? Or is that just it?

>> **RY:** As far as I know.

 

He didn't want to mention Yusuke - he was pretty sure the guy was either gay, or asexual, or just really love art so much that being romance isn't an option. It was a pity, because Ryuji can admit that Yusuke is nice to look at, sometimes, and he and Akira would make wonderful gay babies if they could.

 _Between you, Akira, and Yusuke, all three of ya'll could make beautiful, wonderful, gay babies._ Ryuji blushed.

 

>> **AK:** Well, I guess you should add yourself to that list. And unlike them, as well as some of the others, I'm definitely interested ;)

>> **AK:** You're too cute for me not to want to take advantage of you ;)

>> **RY:** OMG, STOP! You cocky little shit.

>> **AK:** Fine, fine. Good night, my good boy <3

>> **RY:** I effen' hate you.

>> **AK:** <3

 

Despite this, Ryuji couldn't stop smiling. The fact that this world's Akira was flirting with him, complimenting him, telling him very clearly 'yes, I would like to date you' made his heart sing, and he had to wonder to himself, as he hit the pillows with closed eyes:

If this is a dream, please don't wake him up.

* * *

_**Ryuji....** _

_**Please....** _

_**Come....back...** _

_**Open....eyes....** _

_**It's....no.....** _

_**His...heart....** _

_**Uji....** _

_**Uji.....** _

_**RYUJI!** _

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Quietly sings "Emotionless" by Good Charlotte in the background.~ It's actually a very fitting song for Ryuji and his father relationship (with an exception of "do you miss your little girl" cause I believe Ryuji is an only child?)

**Author's Note:**

> HAHAHA, I've written a story about something that I have no idea what's about, nor have I played the game myself (no ps4). I can only hope you'll forgive me for making some characters OOC, or any spoilers if, like myself, you haven't played the game yet. This is probably a train wreck, given the tags, but I kinda wanted to take a crack at this. I'm rambling. Sorry.


End file.
